Beach Closes Season At Home, Honors Khylee Pepe On Senior Day

Saturday, March 7

Long Beach, Calif.

2 p.m.

Long Beach State University

5-25,4-16Big West

Hawai'i

20-10,14-6Big West

Hawaii

Long Beach St.

Beach Closes Season At Home, Honors Khylee Pepe On Senior Day

3/7/2026 4:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Long Beach State Falls to Hawai’i 74-39 at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid as Pepe Caps Collegiate Career

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State closed out the 2025-26 season Saturday afternoon with a 74-39 loss to Hawai'i at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid, as senior guard Khylee Pepe was honored in her final collegiate game.

The Beach finished the year 5-25 overall and 4-16 in Big West play, while Hawai'i improved to 20-10 and 14-6 in conference action.

Hawai'i set the tone early and never trailed after the opening minutes. The Rainbow Wahine shot 60.0 percent in the first quarter and raced to a 22-5 lead after one. Long Beach State struggled to find rhythm offensively, hitting just 2 of 15 from the field in the opening period while Hawai'i connected on 4 of 6 from three-point range.

In the second quarter, a 17-point Hawai'i scoring surge late in the quarter stretched the margin to double digits, and the Rainbow Wahine carried a 35-13 lead into halftime.

Long Beach State showed its most consistent stretch in the third quarter. Pukis knocked down multiple three-pointers and Kennan Ka added two triples of her own as the Beach shot 5 of 11 from the field and 4 of 5 from beyond the arc in the period. A Ka three with 1:43 remaining in the quarter cut the deficit to 49-30, but Hawai'i responded to take a 55-30 advantage into the fourth.

Pepe's Senior Day moment came in the final quarter when she converted a fast-break layup off her own steal with 52 seconds remaining, trimming the deficit to 72-39. She finished 3 of 10 from the field and battled on the glass throughout, securing seven rebounds in the contest.

Ka led Long Beach State in scoring with 10 points on 4 of 7 shooting, including 2 of 4 from distance. Pukis added nine points behind three made three-pointers, while JaQuoia Jones-Brown played all 40 minutes and contributed five points, two assists and two steals.

As a team, the Beach shot 26.8 percent from the floor and 5 of 22 from three-point range, while Hawai'i connected at a 53.4 percent clip and dominated inside with 46 points in the paint. The Rainbow Wahine also held a 48-21 rebounding advantage.

After the final buzzer, Pepe was recognized as part of Senior Day celebrations. The senior logged 26 minutes in her final appearance, totaling seven points, seven rebounds and three assists. She added two steals and closed her career attacking the paint and pushing the pace in transition.